WASHINGTON, CARACAS COMPLETE OPERATION TO RETURN MINERVA OIL TANKER TO VENEZUELAN WATERS

WASHINGTON, Jan 10 (Bernama-Anadolu) -- The US and Venezuela carried out an operation to return the Minerva oil tanker to that country’s waters, the South American state-owned oil firm PDVSA said on Friday, Anadolu Ajansi reported.

“Authorities in the United States and Venezuela announce the successful joint operation for the return to the country of the vessel Minerva, which had sailed without payment or authorisation from the Venezuelan authorities,” it said.

“Thanks to this first successful joint operation, the vessel is currently sailing back to Venezuelan waters for safekeeping and appropriate action,” it added.

Earlier on Friday, the US announced that it had seized a fifth tanker as part of efforts to control Venezuelan oil.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the Coast Guard executed a boarding and seizure of the motor tanker Olina, previously named Minerva M, in international waters east of the Caribbean Sea.

The Trump administration has intensified military operations in the Caribbean Sea and the eastern Pacific Ocean since September, citing efforts against narcotics trafficking.

The latest tanker seizures came after the US carried out a Jan 3 military operation in Venezuela, capturing President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. Trump said his administration would “run” Venezuela and its oil assets during a transition period.

Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said the Defence Department's blockade in the Caribbean Sea remains “in full effect, and very effective.”

“In the past 24 hours alone, at least seven ‘dark fleet’ oil vessels have turned around to avoid interdiction, because they know we mean business,” Parnell wrote on US social media company X, adding that the US will “hunt down and interdict all dark fleet vessels” transporting Venezuelan oil.

-- BERNAMA-ANADOLU